1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for opening or closing twist closures.
2. Relevant Prior Art
Such devices are frequently used: in the household for opening bottles, preserve jars, etc.; in the beverage industry for closing bottles or the like; in measurement for coupling torque gauges to bottles, tablet containers, etc. for determining the required opening torque thereof.
The known devices have different embodiments. In the household, pliers-like devices are generally used, with the aid of which the closure is gripped and opening is facilitated because of the increased torque. These devices are suitable for twist closures of different diameters. However, it is scarcely possible to apply a vertical force to the closure for opening certain (in particular, childproof) closures, which are prescribed especially for containers for pharmaceutical products. This proves to be a disadvantage. Furthermore, relatively great force must be applied for closing the arms of the pliers in order to avoid slipping when the device is operated.
Manipulators having complicated gripping mechanisms are known from the beverage industry. For example, a device for an electronic cover torque gauge has been successfully marketed for years and is known in the measurement sector. This device has a relatively complicated toggle lever mechanism, with the aid of which the internal diameter of an elastic ring can be varied (reduced) by applying an axial compressive force, so that the twist closure can be gripped laterally and actuated.
All these devices are of relatively complicated design, in particular to enable closures of different diameters (especially in their tolerance range) to be gripped and actuated. In known devices, for example, the zones provided for gripping the closure are designed with protuberances. However, this resulted in slipping of the device on the closure in the case of negative tolerances.